Mix well, and form into patties. For uniform patties, I use a 1/3 cup measuring cup - fill measuring cup with meat mixture, then form into patty. Brown patties in skillet (both sides) and place in a 13x9 inch baking dish.

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

I found this recipe on Baking Bites a while back, but I couldn't make them because I was almost out of cocoa. And then I forgot - and couldn't find the link I'd shared on facebook. I went searching tonight and found the recipe again. I'm not trusting facebook this time.

Homemade Fudgsicles

2 cups low fat or skim milk

1/2 cup cocoa powder

2/3 cup sugar

2 tbsp corn syrup or agave syrup

1 tsp vanilla extract

In a medium saucepan, combine milk, cocoa powder, sugar, corn syrup (or agave syrup) and vanilla extract. Bring to a simmer, stirring frequently, and cook just until all of the sugar and cocoa powder is dissolved. Pour hot mixture into popsicle molds and freeze overnight, or until solid.

Makes 6-8 large popsicles (depending on the size of your molds)

I have cocoa now. Time to dig out the Tupperware popsicle molds - even if it's not summer yet.

Here's another recipe I cut from the newspaper. This is so good! My husband says he doesn't like tomatoes, so he's not super excited when I make this, but he will eat it without complaining too much, especially if I serve him some kind of meat on the side. Me, I love it. I think the flavors are so perfect together.

For dumplings, put flour, baking powder, salt and dry mustard in medium mixing bowl and stir well. Using pastry blender, two table knives, or fork, cut shortening into flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in shredded cheddar. Add milk and stir just until dry ingredients are moistened.

Drop by tablespoonfuls over the simmering stew. Cover and cook over medium-low heat 10 to 15 minutes or until dumplings are firm.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.

I get a lot of recipes from the newspaper and from magazines. If a recipe looks good, I clip it. Unfortunately, I have yet to find the perfect way to organize them so that I can find them later and actually try them. If only my clippings could at least be in a regular consistent size, like notebook paper size or even postcards, then I could sort and store them in a binder or a box or something. And if only two recipes I want didn't always seem to be printed on opposite sides of the same page! I'm really going to have to buckle down and post more of the recipes I really like or really want to try - or figure out if I can find them on the magazine or newspaper websites and save them from there, instead of trying to keep track of so many newspaper clippings!

I like the idea of posting the recipes, because then I'm sharing, too - but it just takes time. Anyway, try this. It's yummy!

Heat oil over medium heat in a 4-1/2 to 5 quart Dutch oven or soup pot. Peel onions and coarsely chop them, adding them to pot as you chop. Cut chicken into bite-size chunks, adding them to the pot as you cut. After first breast is in the pot, raise heat to medium-high. Continue until all chicken is added. Add garlic. Cook chicken, stirring from time to time, until it is no longer pink outside, about 4 minutes.

While soup simmers, prepare toppings of choice. Serve at once or remove from heat and cover until ready to serve. Reheat as necessary. Arrange toppings salad-bar style, or pass them around the table, and let everyone add their own.

Note: This soup is only mildly spicy. Be sure to put out a bottle of hot pepper sauce, such as Tabasco, for guest who like to breathe fire.

The original recipe didn't call for black beans, but I think there's something special about the flavors of chicken, corn, black beans, lime, and cumin (and cilantro, the toppings didn't list cilantro, either) together, and this soup didn't seem complete without them. Also, I don't usually have Mexican-style tomatoes, so I just use a couple cans of diced tomatoes. As with all soups, the measurements here are really just guidelines - adjust as needed or to suit your preferences.

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Image by Kodamakitty via FlickrI got this recipe from my mother-in-law, and we really like it. I haven't made it in a while, but a friend's pizza crust the other night reminded me - so I had to share, because I think this pizza would be great with her crust.

Add remaining ingredients, saving some for the second pizza, and return pizza to oven. Bake until cheese is melted and slightly browned (or however you like your pizza).

Repeat with remaining ingredients to make the second pizza.

Serve with some crushed red pepper to sprinkle on top. Makes 2 pizzas.

You can use any pizza crust. When I first started making this, I had some packages of pizza crust mix I had gotten really cheap, so that's what I used. The added cornmeal is absolutely perfect with the toppings on this pizza. I really need to make this soon! (and maybe this one, too)

Thursday, March 10, 2011

Image via Wikipedia
I had sweet potato fries with my chicken sandwich the other day at TGIFridays, and they were so good, I want to make some of my own. I found this recipe today, and it sounds pretty easy - and yummy.

Sweet Potato Fries

Ingredients:

1 large sweet potato

1 Tbs olive oil

1/2 tsp salt

1 gallon zip top bag

Directions:

Cut sweet potatoes into sticks that are fry sized making sure that no stick is more than about 1/4 inch thick in either direction.

Put fries into zip top bag then add oil and salt. Squeeze out all the air and zip the bag. Squish potatoes around until they are well coated with oil and salt.

Pour potato sticks onto a cookie sheet or baking dish in a single layer then roast for about 30 minutes at 350° turning sticks over half way through cooking.

ETA 3/15: The original recipe called for 1 tsp. of salt, but when I used that much, they just seemed too salty. So I'm reducing the salt to 1/2 tsp. Hopefully that will be better. Otherwise, these were really yummy. I did have to cook them longer, but that might be because my sticks were bigger than they should have been. Just check them often and judge for yourself.

Thursday, March 3, 2011

I've been making my Whole Wheat (or whole grain) Sourdough Bread most of the time anymore. Once in a while I just want regular old sourdough bread with white flour - for instance, when I want spaghetti. A while back I created a tabblo (see bottom of post) with my recipe. Every time I want to make it, I go to tabblo and look it up. I figured it was high time I posted it here, too.

Where towels are for drying, and the white spoons don't go in the tomato sauce!

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There's nothing like a home-cooked meal!

In this age of fast food and busy schedules, it seems almost a thing of the past. I have worked to find recipes which are not only good, but EASY! A lot of the recipes here can be prepared ahead of time. That way you can do the work when you have the time instead of waiting until the dinner hour when things seem to be most hectic. Most of these recipes use ingredients you should already have on hand. So check your pantry and GET COOKING!!

I really enjoy cooking, and I'm always trying and modifying new recipes. Most of the recipes on this site are ones that I have changed - either to suit my tastes or to use the ingredients I have on hand. All the recipes here are ones that I really like. There are so many recipes in the world that there is just no excuse for using one twice if it's not something you really enjoy. Now, whether the rest of the family enjoys them or not is another story, but I try to add special notes about who likes what.

I must admit that this site is also a way to keep track of the recipes that I really like. Haven't you had that recipe you really liked, but then you couldn't find it the next time you wanted to use it? Well, I have, so when I make something I really like, I am going to add the recipe to this web site. Then I will always be able to find it, and you will be able to enjoy it too.

I usually read a recipe as a kind of 'suggestion' for how to make something. Even if I don't try them, I am always looking for new recipes. I read cookbooks for fun - especially the ones with good pictures! I hope you have fun visiting my kitchen, too!

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